The dry, heavy air scratched my throat as we approached the battlefield. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon, painting the sky with dark and orange hues. Ahead of us, the village of the dark being loomed like an open tomb, filled with creatures moving among the shadows, restless, ready for nightfall.
Unlike when we stood here with Lyris, observing from the hills, there was no movement. Now the atmosphere had changed; they clearly knew of our presence.
The rocky, desert terrain was all that separated us from what we knew would be a massacre if we failed.
"This place…" Lyris murmured, but didn't finish the sentence. It wasn't necessary. The air said it all. We were entering the lion's den.
We moved in silence, weapons at the ready, nerves on edge. Eldrek raised his voice with determination, "Keep the formation tight. Don't scatter. We need to stay close."
Vaelor's drakes flew above us, their vast wings casting shadows as they breathed fire, briefly illuminating the darkness beginning to surround us.
We marched until we reached a relatively safe distance. The warriors present were fearless, ready to die in battle to end this era of desolation. Fear would have been normal in a situation like this, but what we saw was different. Courage grew as everyone raised their war cries.
Aelira rose, her wings lifting her just high enough for all the warriors to see her, and her clear, firm voice commanded everyone's attention.
"I am completely confident in each of you," she began, her gaze sweeping across everyone present as she moved through the air. "Each of you is here for a purpose, fully aware of the risks. Do not dare to think you are any less than the creatures we will face."
She paused briefly, reinforcing the intensity of her words.
"If we work as one, we will be unstoppable. Each group has a leader; listen to them well, and we will stay connected. Trust in the formation and do not yield."
Turning towards the dark being's land, Aelira added with a sharp tone, "Defeat is not an option."
The warriors raised their weapons, following her forward with unwavering intensity.
The battle began before we even had a chance to think twice. The creatures started emerging from the ground, from the rocks, and from the very shadows in the sky. They were deformed, grotesque; some we had seen before, others were completely new, creatures with cracked skin and sharp fangs, twisted limbs, and unnatural movements. Their eyes glowed with dark fury as they charged at us.
Zhavros was a bit further off, but didn't hesitate for a second, his magic cutting through the air with deadly precision. Every strike shattered the creatures around him, maintaining a dangerous intensity as he fought.
"Hold the line!" he shouted, his voice barely audible amidst the screams and chaos of battle. Beside him, Eldrek commanded his group with Zhavros, using his magic to raise rock walls to contain the waves of creatures. "Defend this line! Nothing should get through!" he ordered, strengthening the rear while Zhavros stayed alert to each warrior under his command.
Aelira and Nymira led their own group at the front, moving with agility. Aelira's magic flowed with precision; every ray of light from her hands burned the creatures trying to approach.
"Concentrate your attacks on the flanks!" she shouted, her gaze fixed on the advancing monsters. Beside her, Nymira provided relentless support, her bursts of energy blinding the creatures just long enough to buy the warriors time. "They won't get through!" Nymira declared, her voice full of determination. She was a vital support for Aelira, and their training together showed in every coordinated move.
Lyris and I led our own group, holding the vulnerable points in our battle lines. "Focus your magic on their weak spots!" Lyris commanded, casting healing spells on the wounded. I covered her, my sword swinging through the air, piercing flesh and bone as creatures tried to break our formation.
"No mercy! Strike fast and hard!" I yelled, feeling the chaos vibrate within me as I tried to keep us steady.
From above, Vaelor commanded the drakes with impressive skill. "Drakes, form up! Attack from the flanks and keep moving!"
His voice echoed across the battlefield, directing the winged warriors in precise strikes that weakened the creatures from above, sending bursts of fire down on them. Each charge from the drakes opened gaps in the terrain, and our ground teams moved forward to cover those spaces.
The battlefield was organized chaos; shouts, blows, and magic intertwined in a symphony of war. As leaders, we communicated clear orders, achieving impeccable synchronization.
As the creatures fell under our weapons, our coordination gave us a crucial advantage. We were pushing the horde back. Vaelor's drakes dominated the sky, and Eldrek's rock walls held back the waves trying to break our ranks. My movements were precise, the chaos within me under control.
All the training with Aelira was paying off, and Eldrek's forging allowed us to channel our mana better, keeping the battle in our favor.
The ground trembled beneath our feet. "We're doing it," I thought, feeling the chaos pulse under my control. But even in the midst of the fight, something felt off. "This can't be all," murmured Aelira, her gaze fixed on the horizon. She was right. This was just the beginning.
Then we saw him. Grimmor appeared, riding a massive beast with rough skin and sharp fangs, his replacement for his fallen chimera. He advanced slowly toward the battlefield, unhurried, with an expression of arrogance. He knew he was waiting for us, watching as if he had already decided how this would end, as if we were nothing more than a nuisance to him.
"Damn it... Grimmor! Lyris, with me!" I growled, gripping my sword tightly. Facing him alone would be madness. Lyris, always reliable, nodded without a word, preparing for what lay ahead.
When we reached him, Grimmor sneered. "Go," he ordered harshly, directing the humanoid lizards surrounding him to attack the rest of our allies. "Give them a bit of entertainment."
Then he turned his attention to the flying creatures accompanying him—grotesque versions of the drakes. "Tear that fool Vaelor and his riders to pieces," he commanded, sending them skyward.
As his troops followed his orders, Grimmor turned to Lyris and me. "I'll handle you two myself," he said, a smug smile on his face.
Lyris tightened her grip on her magic dagger, eyes locked on Grimmor, ready for what lay ahead. I did the same with my sword, feeling mana surge through my body, amplified by the power Eldrek had imbued in our weapons. We both channeled our magic to the limit, preparing for what would be an intense fight.
Grimmor let out a mocking laugh. "Oh, I see old Eldrek made you a new toy, Lyris. Do you really think that'll make any difference?" His gaze shifted to me. "And you… I hope you put up more of a fight this time. Last time was a disappointment."
I tightened my grip on my sword, feeling the chaos at my disposal. "Don't worry about that," I replied firmly, and without another word, I lunged at him.
Lyris and I moved together, charging at Grimmor with all our strength. She moved with agility, casting magic while launching quick strikes with her dagger, while I went straight for him, my sword drawn, channeling all the power I could control.
Grimmor used his beast as a shield, blocking our attacks with its heavy movements. But the combined strength of Lyris and me was putting him on the defensive. Each blow echoed across the battlefield, forcing Grimmor to step back as his beast roared in frustration from the constant cuts we dealt it, blood beginning to spill from its sides.
My chaos magic started to eat away at the beast's flesh after several strikes.
Despite his initial arrogance, I saw Grimmor begin to realize we were no longer the same. "Come on, Lyris!" I shouted, sensing we were closing in on him. She responded with a series of rapid attacks that destabilized his beast, which was beginning to falter. I seized the moment, swinging a blow at Grimmor's side, which he barely managed to dodge.
"Don't celebrate just yet," Grimmor growled, but his voice no longer held the same confidence. We knew we were pushing him to his limit, keeping him constantly on the defensive.
It was then that I felt something strange—a cold that had nothing to do with the desert wind. I halted my attack, directing my gaze toward the source of the sensation. To our left, emerging from the village entrance, a dark figure appeared, bringing with it an aura of power. The dark being—the real threat—was here.
"Darius… I think that's the dark being we've been waiting for," Lyris murmured cautiously. We both looked tensely at the figure advancing through the shadows. Among the chaos of creatures, I strained to see it clearly, and when I finally did, a chill ran down my spine. "Is that… the dark being?" I whispered, unable to hide my surprise.
Lyris looked at me, puzzled by my reaction. "It certainly seems like it, Darius. Why do you sound like that?"
Without taking my eyes off the figure, I replied in a barely audible whisper, "Lyris… he's the one who brought me to this world. The one who offered me the deal… I'm here because of him."
Lyris stared at me in disbelief. "What!? Are you sure of that?" Her voice reflected confusion and surprise.
I nodded slowly, trying to process what I was seeing. "I can't believe it…" I thought. "Why did he bring me here? What's his purpose?"
As I absorbed the shock of his presence, more beasts emerged from the village's flanks—massive, monstrous creatures, two on each side, with faces like twisted dragons, slowly dragging themselves like enormous lizards.
Their bodies filled the terrain, moving with a force that made the ground tremble beneath our feet. The allied warriors froze at the sight of them, their faces filled with awe and horror.
"Monstrosities…!" someone shouted, and the order we had maintained up to that point fell apart. Warriors began to scatter, losing coordination, attacking blindly without any strategy. Screams of confusion and desperation mixed with the roars of the colossal creatures; we hadn't anticipated facing something like this.
Vaelor was busy fighting alongside his riders against the other flying creatures, but he still tried to regroup the ground warriors. It was no use. The presence of those gigantic beings had shattered our formation, and the effective communication we had maintained vanished into chaos.
The dark being remained motionless, observing intently as our organization crumbled before his colossal guardians. In a final desperate attempt, some of the warriors tried to attack the beasts, but their blows barely scratched their tough skin. The colossi responded mercilessly, crushing anyone who got too close with their massive claws.
From the sky, Thalvion and Kaedor, the Aasimar, descended, their golden armor shining brightly against the dark aura surrounding the being. Their swords gleamed with celestial power, and with fierce determination, they dove towards the dark being. Their faces reflected the fury of warriors who knew no fear, ready to face death itself.
For a moment, a glimmer of hope illuminated the battlefield.
But the dark being didn't move. He watched us all as if we were insignificant, as if we weren't even worth the effort of defending himself. Suddenly, chaos burst from him in a wave of energy, a force unleashed that surpassed anything I could control. It was pure chaos, an uncontrollable energy spreading across the battlefield.
Thalvion and Kaedor barely had time to react. They were thrown like rag dolls by the impact, their bodies flung into the air before crashing onto the bloodstained sand below.
The Tark'kor, Vaelor's warriors, those who still resisted, were swept away one by one, their bodies torn apart as if they were paper. Some riders tried to flee, but the dark being reached them with his magic, crushing the drakes and their riders against the ground in an instant of brutal force.
His chaos was much more invasive than mine, tearing through armor, flesh, and bone the moment it touched them. I couldn't believe the impact of that power.
Some of the drakes—our advantage in the sky—fell heavily, reduced to torn masses of flesh and bone by the corrupt magic emanating from him.
"This can't be happening," I thought, watching helplessly as our forces crumbled before his relentless darkness.
In the distance, I saw Vaelor, trapped in an impossible battle against the creatures Grimmor had unleashed. His face reflected despair as he watched his warriors fall helplessly. "No!" he shouted, his voice an echo of fury and anguish amidst the devastation. But his efforts were in vain; his people were slaughtered before his eyes, while he could only scream, powerless, watching his drakes and warriors be annihilated.
More and more warriors tried to confront the dark being, refusing to accept reality, but they all fell. Grimmor, observing from a safe distance, let out a mocking laugh that echoed across the battlefield. "Consider yourselves dead," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "No one can stand against him, not even with your fancy new toys."
The true threat stood before us, an unstoppable presence slaughtering all who dared to approach. We looked at each other, understanding without words that we had to do something.
We left the confrontation with Grimmor behind, ignoring his venomous taunt as we ran off. There was no time to waste; the dark being was here, and his unleashed chaos was destroying everything in its path.
We ran back to rejoin the remaining allies, cutting through the hordes of creatures blocking our way. Twisted monsters and savage beasts tried to stop us, each step marked by blood as we slashed and tore through everything in our path.
We had to regroup with Eldrek and the others to regain our formation, or we would fall right here.
"Regroup, don't lose formation!" I shouted with all my strength, hoping our voices would cut through the chaos. We closed in on the warriors still holding out, trying to reorganize our lines and restore coordination.